Xiaomi started before a year and so to lock the Bootloader. This is done from the company for security reasons and to comply with the security terms set by Google. The first mobiles that Xiaomi locked it’s bootloader was Mi Note Pro, Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 and Xiaomi Mi4c. Also by this way tried to stop all these re-seller from installing their ROM, which usually was full of bloatware and in the end, the final user was accusing Xiaomi for a slow and bad mobile and not the non-original ROM of the re-seller. Unfortunately in order to unlock now your bootloader, you have to do some steps, first with SMS confirmation and some work with a 64bit Windows 10. Also if you want to install any custom ROM made from some fan club, then you must have an unlocked bootloader. I for example have in my Mi5S Plus, the tweaked version of the ROM from the Greek Xiaomi-Miui.gr, which is lighter and faster from the original.
Let us see now what shall we need in order to unlock our bootloader.
- A Xiaomi mobile with locked bootloader
- The cable that you use for charging, to connect the mobile with your PC. Important, the PC must have installed Windows 10 64bit with disabled the test of the drivers installed
- Universal ADB Drivers
- Minimal ADB & Fastboot
- MiFlash Unlock Tool
- The Developer ROM of your device.
Now that we have all that we need, let us start step by step to unlock our bootloader
Check if our Bootloader is locked or not
The first thing that someone must do when you have in your hands a Xiaomi device, is to learn if bootloader is locked or not. In order to do this, you must install first the ADB drivers. After you have successfully install the drivers, install and the Minimal ADB & Fastboot at an easy folder like c:/ABD. Now you are ready to see if your mobile has locked bootloader.
Put your mobile in Fastboot Mode. In order to do so, you must close your mobile and activate it by pressing at the same time the Power Button and the Volume down. If you are successful, you must see this image.
After you have seen Mitu, connect your mobile with your PC. Now you will have to open a window DOS with admin rights. Open Explorer and go to the folder where you have installed the ABD drives (we have said before c:\ABD). Press right click in the folder, while at the same time you hold down the shift button from your keyboard and choose “Open a command line here”. In the new DOS window that will open, write
fastboot devices
If your mobile is recognized correctly from your PC, you will see a message like
C:\adb>fastboot devices
2bd181ac fastboot
Now is time to see if your bootloader is locked or not. Write down fastboot oem device-info
Depending on the result, you can see one of the 5 next messages. What is important is to see what is written at the second line. Check the first image from my Mi5S Plus with the bootloader locked and after I have unlocked it.
Now that we have seen that your mobile has locked bootloader, it is time to send a message to Xiaomi (to be honest it is better to have done this some days before, since the answer from Xiaomi comes after 3-10 days). You must now go to http://en.miui.com/unlock/
Now Press the Unlock Button and the procedure will start. First you must connect to your Mi account. IMPORTANT: You must login in the same Mi Account that you have in your mobile.
The system will then check if you have the privileges to unlock your mobile. In case you don’t have, will ask you to fill in the application to be granted with an unlock option of your mobile.
If you have done this before and you are granted with the unlock option, then you can unlock it!
Congratulations, your Xiaomi mobile is now unlocked. Now you can install TWRP if you want or any custom ROM that you like
